Pneumatic thread extractor for looms



Oct. 29; 1940. A BUFFJNGTQN 2,219,759

PNEUMATIC THREAD EXTRACTOR FOR LOOMS Originalv Filed Oct. 31, 1938 GeoyeJ2. Bu/

Patented Oct. 29, 1940 UNITED STATES PNEUMATIC THREAD EXTRAGTOR. FORLOOMS George A. Buffington, Worcester, Mass., assignor to Crompton &Knowles Loom Works, Worcester, Mass, a corporation of MassachusettsApplication October 31, 1938, Serial No. 237,833 Renewed April 9, 1940 8Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in thread extractors for loomsand it is the chief object of theinvention to provide an improved intakemouth for the tube which receives the '5 thread. I

In co-pending application Serial No. 190,637 filed by Turner there isset forth a pneumatic thread extractor having a thread tube with anintake mouth to be depressed at the time of transfer for engagement withthe thread which extends from the selvage to the outgoing bobbin. Thethread which extends from the shuttle box to the extractor is drawn intothe tube on transferring beats of the loom. At a subsequent beat thetemple cutter severs the thread at the selvage,

whereupon the thread is completely removed from the race and may ifdesired be deposited into a thread accumulator.

It has been found desirable to construct the intake mouth in such a waythat the air rushing into the tube can engage all sides of the threadand it is an important object of my present invention to provide aconstruction for the mouth which will require the thread to be disposedin 5 some intermediate part of the stream of air passing into the tube.It is a further object of my present invention to provide a mouthconstruction which will trap the thread to prevent its accidentalremoval from the tube.

In the aforesaid application there is shown a strip'of pile fabricextending below the path of the shuttle and into which the tongue of theextractor projects so that during rearward motion of the lay the threadwill be supported on the pile tufts at the point above the lowest partof the tongue. In that application, however, the tongue is flat so thatthe thread can lie along a surface in such a position as to be entirelyon one side of the column of air rushing through the tube. It

is a further object of my present invention to provide the tongue with arib which shall be located partly at least below the top of the piletufts during the backward stroke of the lay for the purpose of placingthe thread in the stream of air and keeping away from the flat surfaceof the tongue.

It is another object of my invention to form the tongue as a separatepart of the tube and having an upwardlyextending lug to be fastened toand extend into the lower part of the tube.

This lug or shank preferably has a concave surface facing the thread sothat the inrushing draft of air can pass behind as well as in front ofthe thread. In this way the thread is kept 5 from extending along a fiatsurface which might otherwise interfere with its movement into the tubeand its response to attractive force of the draft.

The control for the tube together with its time of operation and meansfor creating an inrush- '6 ing draft of air may be the same as thatshown in the aforesaid application and such parts only of the disclosureof that application are set forth herein as are needed to indicate theuse and location of my present invention. 10

With these and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, my invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts hereinafter described and set forth.

In the accompanying drawing, wherein two 15 forms of the inventionareshown,

Fig. 1 is a vertical section through part of a loom equipped with apneumatic thread extractor provided with my present invention,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the lower 20 part of theextractor tube viewed from the center of the loom, showing the preferredform of my invention,

Fig. 3 is a front elevation looking in the direction of arrow 3, Fig. 2.25

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan looking in the direction of arrow 4, Fig. 2, g

Fig. 5 is a vertical section on ilne 5--5 of Fig. 3,

Fig. 6 is a front elevation of the tongue unit which is inserted intothe bottom of the extractor o tube,

, Fii. 7 is a plan view of the structure shown in Fig.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a modified form of the invention, and IFig. 9 is a perspective view of a second modification of the invention.

Referring to the drawing, particularly Fig. 1, I have shown a loom frameI0 having a breast beam ll carrying pivot l2 for a transfer arm IS. Thelatter is normally raised but is depressed by mechanism not shown hereinbut illustrated for instance in the aforesaid application when atransfer of a full bobbin is to be made from the mediately thereafterthe lay starts its backward motion in a left hand direction with respectto Fig. 1. A rod 15 pivoted to the lay as at It extends rearwardly tooperate a pump not shown but similar to that set forth in the aforesaidapv surface 37.

plication for creating sub-atmospheric pressures. While my presentinvention may be used in connection with the device shown in thatapplication, yet I do not wish to be limited to the use of my inventionwith such pump.

A flexible preferably rubber tube fits over the upper end of a hollowmetallic tube 2| held by a set screw 22 in a vertically movable carrierhead 23. The tube is vertically adjustable with respect to the head andis normally in a raised position so that all parts carried by the tubeare above the path of the shuttle'on non-transfer- IiIlg beats of theloom. The head 23 is mounted on the forward end of a rod 24 and carriesa roll 25 to be engaged by a plate 26 fastened to the transferrer arml3. At the time of transfer the plate 26 descends with the transferrerarm to engage the roll 25 and lower the head 23 from its normally raisedposition to the position shown in Fig. 1. Thereafter on the backwardstroke of the lay mechanismnot shown herein but fully set forth in theaforesaid application restores the head 23 to its normally raisedposition.

The matter thus far described of itself forms n part of my presentinvention and may be constructed as set forth in the Turner applicationalready mentioned.

In carrying my present invention into effect I provide the lower end ofthe tube with a downwardly opening pair of notches 30 located behind thefront wall of the tube so that a lip 3| of the latter extends below thetop of the notches. The lower end of tube 2| supports a thread engagingunit A having a shank or bearing 32 extending into the tube and. held inplace by a rivet or pin 33. The forward face :35 of the shank 32 isconcave forwardly or to the right as viewed in Fig. 2.

Extending forwardly and downwardly from the shank 32"is a tongue 36having an upper Extending preferably centrally upwardly along thesurface 31 is a rib 38 which rises above surface 31 and has an upperrounded edge along which the thread slides with-a minimum of resistance.The "rib terminates in an upwardly projecting finger 40 which'is-located in front of the notches 3E]. The finger also projectsupwardly behind the lip 3| and in front of a portion of the'conc'ave'sur'face 35.

' As shown in Fig. 7 'the shank'32 is formed as slightly more than halfa cylinder to facilitate its retention in the tube while the pin 33 isbeing placed. While this is a useful incident to the construction of "myinvention I do 'notwis'h to be limited to it. The lower end of thetube'2l has projecting forwardly therefrom "a thin plate or wing havinga downwardly and rearwardly 'inclinedthread guiding surface 5| whichleads proportioned thatwhen the intake tube is in its lowest positionthe bottom of the tongue and also a portion of therib138wi1l lie belowthe top 65 of the pile fabric. It is to be understood that the tautthread extends along the race plate and across the slot'BU to besupported by the upperend's of the tufts of the fabric BI and it is thisrelation which permits the tongue and also the ribtherecn'to' be'uisposedpartl at least below and behind the weft thread designated atW.

In operation the tube will be depressed to the position shown in Fig. 1on a transferring beat of the loom. The forward part of the tongue andthe lower part of the rib 38 being embedded in the pile fabric with thethread extending along the race plate at points somewhat in front of orto the right as viewed in Fig. 2, of the notch N. The thread is then cutin the shuttle box in any approved manner as set forth in the afores'aidapplication when the lay is in forward position, after which the laystarts to move rearwardly and carries the thread supported by theshuttle race toward the notch N. At the same "time a rush of air isinduced into the notch N and upwardly in the tube 2 I, the air passinginto the notches 30 and along a path between the lip 31 and the finger4!]. Continued rearward motion f'the lay directs the thread upwardlyalong the rib 38 until the thread comes within the zone of influence ofthe draft of air, whereupon the thread will slide up over the fingerandbehind the latter into the notches 30- and to a point in front of therear part of the concave surface-35. It should be stated that the-rib 38eXtends rearwardly from thefingerffll to the concave surf-ace 35sothatit is impossible at any time for the thread to fall along a flatsurface because of its engagement with the rib and finger. V

This placement of the thread behind the finger 40 occursduring the firstpart of the rearward motion of the lay and ordinarily before the shuttleleaves the shuttle box. The thread, although out at the shuttle eye atthe time of transfer, will therefore -;be held suff ciently taut to bedrawn to the position described-andbe-in the zone of influence'oftheinrushing draft of air beforethe-shuttle is picked to release thecut I end of the thread-from frictional holding between the front wallof the shuttle -and the shuttle binder not shown. When -i-n thisposition -it 'will be observed especially with reference to Fig. 2thatthe thread extends along partof the -rib 38--and may ;lie againstthe'edges 10 which marks the forwardterminations of the concavesurface-35. The column *of air passes under the thread as well as infront-of it and behind-it.

The thread is therefore suspended in the moving column of air and 'assoon-as the end'cutat'the shuttle eye is released by the picking oftheshuttle saidend will be drawn into the tube and will remain thereunti1- the r other end of the thread is cut att he selvage'onsomesubsequent beat of the lay. 'When the latter condition occurs the wholeof the thread is drawn into the 'tube'and -ma'y pass along the-rubberconveyor-'20 tosome point sufli'ciently remote from' the path'of theshuttle to prevent the latter from drawingthe thread into.- the warpshe'd.

The-form of the invention thus far'described makes use of a ribextendingsubs'tantia'lly to the lower end of theto'rig' ue. I donotwi'sh' 'to'be limited to thi's dri stl 'iictioh, however, inasmuch asit is sufiicient if the unit A be so constructed that the column of'airwhich rushes in'to thetube 2 I can act on all sides "of the 'weftthread. This result can be achieved without the useof' t herib as setforth-in the modified form of the inven-' responding to the tongue 36 isprovided 'withtwo.

s'pabe'd' air grooves of're'ce'sses' 8| between which lies a rib82.The-upper surface "may belevel "with thesurface'of'the t'ongue'80. Inthis rhodified formthe rib. 82 has the .lrear part: thereof curvedupwardly as. at-83'to formthe fingerx40 \which will be substantially thesame asjthe finger shown in the preferred ,form of the invention.

In the operation of thismodification the; air moving into the tube 2|rises from theair grooves 8| which lie under the thread and in doing sodraws the thread in the tube. :Although I have shown two of the grooves.or recesses 8! .yet it is obvious that a single recess 90 shown. inFig. 9 can be used inasmuch as such a construction would permit the.thread-to .extend across a depressed part of the tongue. Inotherrespects, such as theconstructiomof the shank of .the concave face andthe disposition of the finger 40 and that portioniof the rib lyingbehind it, the con struction, shown in Fig. -8 maybe the same as that inthe preferred form. 5

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided an improved.intake for a pneumatic thread extractor wherein the unit located at thebottom of the tube 2| is so constructed that air moving into the tubecan rise from a point below the thread, this condition being truewhether the rib 38 of the preferred form of the invention be used orwhether the tongue 80 is provided with one or more air recesses 8i as inthe modified form. It will also be seen that the tongue 40 is so placedwith respect to the lip 3| as to provide an effective trap for thethread to prevent the latter from escaping from the notches 30. Also,the forward face of the shank 32 is made concave for the purpose ofpermitting a part of the column of air which rushes into the tube 2| topass behind the notches 30 and the thread located therein. Fig. 2 showsthat the rear edge 15 of the notches 30 extend below the lowest part ofthe rib 38 defining the bottom of the thread pocket of which the notches30 form the upper part, and it is this construction which maintains thethread out of contact with fiat surfaces and in the path of the columnof air rushing into the tube 21 Having thus described my invention itwill be seen that changes and modifications may be made therein by thoseskilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention and I do not wish to be limited to the details hereindisclosed, but what I claim is:

1. In a thread extractor for a weft replenishing loom, a threadreceiving tube to have sub-atmospheric pressures created therein, and athread controlling attachment secured to the lower end of the tube, saidattachment having a downwardly and forwardly extending tongue acrosswhich a weft thread can extend, and the upper part of the tongue havingan air recess in pneumatic communication with the interior of the tubeand under a taut thread extending across the tongue, the air in therecess rushing into the tube from points under the thread to draw thelatter into the tube when a sub-atmospheric pressure is created in thetube.

2. In a thread extractor for a loom, a thread receiving vertical tube tohave sub-atmospheric pressures created therein, a tongue projectingforwardly and downwardly from the tube, there being an open space abovethe tongue communicating with the interior of the tube, and said tonguehaving an opening in the upper surface thereof to provide an air spacebelow said surface across which a taut thread will extend, air rushinginto the tube inducing movement of air from the air space in the tongueupwardly from a point below the thread toward the interior of the tubetending to draw the thread into the tube when a ing intothe tube drawingthe air from theair space upwardly against-the underside of the tautthread and moving toward the interior. of the tube to draw the threadinto the tube when a sub-atmosphericpressure is created in said tube.

4. In a thread extractor ,-for. a loom, a weft thread receiving tube .to'have-sub-atmospheric pressures created therein, ,a tongue projectingdownwardly andfarwardly from the tube and having an air space thereabovecommunicating with the interior of the tube, and a rib projectingupwardly from the top surface of the tongue, said rib being separatedfrom the forward part of the tube by an air space through which a weftthread may pass, a taut thread across the upper part of the tongueextending from the rib to an edge of the tongue and being spaced from aportion of the surface of the tongue immediately under the thread, acolumn of air rushing into the tube lifting the air below the thread ina direction from the upper surface of the tongue toward the interior ofthe tube to draw the thread into said tube when a sub-atmosphericpressure is created in the tube.

5. In a thread extractor for a loom, a tubular member to havesub-atmospheric pressures created therein and having downwardly openingthread slots at the lower end thereof, a thread guiding tongueprojecting downwardly and forwardly from said slots and so placed as toprovide an air space above the tongue communicating with said slots, anda finger projecting upwardly from the tongue and having the forwardportion thereof in front of said slots and having the top thereofextending above the bottom of said slots, said finger being spaced fromthe forward part of the tube, a column of air moving into the tubularmember when a sub-atmospheric pressure is created therein drawing athread supported by the tongue upwardly into said slots and along theforward face of the finger and over the latter to a position behind thefinger and in said slots.

6. In a thread extractor for a loom, a tubular member to have createdtherein sub-atmospheric pressures for the purpose of drawing a weftthread thereinto, the lower end of said member having spaced downwardlyopening thread receiving slots, a finger supported by the member andprojecting upwardly into the latter and having a forward thread engagingedge spaced from the member and in front of the front edges of theslots, said finger terminating at a point between the top and bottom ofthe slots, and a web extending rearwardly from the finger below the topsof the slots, induction of air into the lower end of the member bycreation of a subatmospheric pressure therein drawing a thread up alongthe front edge of the finger and over the top-thereof into the slots toa position over the web'behind the finger.

7. In a thread extractor for a loom, a vertical thread receiving tube tohave sub-atmospheric pressures created therein, an attachment for thelower end of the tube having a downwardly and forwardly extending thread:gui'ding tonguegaiib pro'j e'c'tin'g upwardly from the top surface#efthe :tongue and along 'whicma thread slides; a finger formed as partof the rib and-extendingupcurved'surface ofith'e hub.

8. In a thread -extractor for a loom, a' verti'cai thread receiving tubeto have sub-atmospheric pressures created therein, an attachment for-the lowerendtof the itube having a idownwardiy andforwardlyrexten'ding"thread guiding tongue, a rib'pro'jectingxlupwardly-from the top surface of the tongueandaalongiwhich a thread slides, a. finger formed. rasipart of' the riband extending upweirdly to'i-aposition within the tube and spaced from'the latter, alhub' rigid with the. tongue projectin'glintoand secured"to the bottom of the tube, the sur;face :of the hub facing the finger"being concave, .and the tube. having downwardly opening Jthreadreceivingvslots formed on :the bottom nfthei tubeebehind the front ofthe finger, inductioni'oia' draftof airiinto the tube by creationofrasubeatmospheric pressure therein drawing a .threadiup along-the riband over the finger into the slots, the air .acting ion the rear part ofthe thread 'outnf contact with said concave surface of the hub.

